Doll



G. H. PARSONS.

oou.. APPLICATION FILED MN. 31, 1929- RENEWED SEPT. 30' I921- vPatentedN0v.15,1921

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

esonen H. ransom, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOLL.

Specification of Lettersratent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed January 81, 1920, Serial No. 355,484. RenewedSeptember 30, 1921. Serial No. 504,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- Gnonen H. PARsoNs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDolls, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates generally to dolls, with more particularreference to what are commonly known as sleeping dolls, the eye-balls ofwhich include portions made to resemble eyelids, said eye-balls beingpivoted within the head in proper positions and so weighted that whenthe doll is in an upright position but when the doll is tippedrearwardly to reclining positionthe weights operate to rotate saideye-balls to simulate closing of the eyes, as in sleep. I

In the common and well-knowntype of sleeping doll, characterized asabove briefly outlined, obviously, the eyes will close as the doll isbrought to a recumbent The well-known 1 or horizontal position.propensity of childhood for more nearly perfect simulation creates adesire for a dollwhich will not immediately close its eyes upon beingtipped to reclining position, but the eyes of which will close graduallyif while in such reclining position the doll is rocked, after the mannerof the rocking of a sleepy infant.

The trouble with most attempts to provide a sleeping doll in which theeyes-close gradually when the seem to have been the necessity vision ofa mechanism or other apparatus within the head of the dollof such acomplicated character as to make the cost of production prohibitive, sofar as the average purchasing public is concerned. The principal objectof the present inventlon, therefore, is the provision of graduallyoperating eye-closing mechanism of such simple con struction andoperation mize the cost of manufacture of the doll head butto bring thepricel of the finished product within the reach of purchasers withlimited means.

Incidental to the above, I have in view mechanism, which, while it willeffect gradual closing of theeyes when the doll is tipped to recliningposition and gently rocked, will eflfect immediate opening of the vinvention,

the eyes thereof are open,

doll is rocked would for. the pro- 7 as not only to. mini- 1 eyes whenthe doll is returned to upright position, thus further enhancing thesimulat1on.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference toaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 1-1of Fig. 2, of the head of a doll equipped with eye opening and closingmeohanlsm embodying my thedoll being supposed to be in reclining orrecumbent position;

Fig. 2 's a face view thereof, partly in section, and

Fi 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Referring now to drawings in detail, nu-

meral 5 designates a dolls head, which may be made in the usual mannerfrom any one of a number of materials commonly em ployed for thisarticle. This head 5 generally includes a neck portion 6 to whih thebody portion of the doll, generally consisting of suitably stuffedfabric, is secured, the crown of the head being initially left open forthe insertion and mounting of the eyeoperating mechanism, the openingbeing subsequently covered by the wig.

The interior side walls of the head are provided with sockete d lugs 7and S, the sockets beingadapted to receive and rotatively contain theball-like protuberances 9 and 10 at the ends of what may be termed aU-shaped bar 11, which ball-like protuberances are also formed andfinished to simulate eyes and lids. The head 5 is provided with theusual orifices in the face thereof, and all of these parts are sorelatively positioned that said ball-like protuberances roject into orslightly through said openlngs, and upon rocking of said bar 11 in thesockets cause rotation of said protuberances to simulate the opening andclosing of the U-bar 11 and rotate the protuberances 9 and 10 to effectthe simulative eye-closing movement.

To this point, I have described nothing more than what may be termed acommon and well-known expedient. ways of connecting the eye-balls, andother Ways of pivoting the eye-ball frame in the head. The construction,mounting and operation of the parts described is immaterial T so farasthe present invention is concerned.

7 is the looped 7 slightly To the rim 14 of the opening in the head 5, Iclamp a pair of disks or plates 15 and 16 between which and the interiorshoulder provided where the nose merges into the forehead I mount acircular rod 17 Freely slidable on this red is a collar 18, from which"projects a 7 plate 19 which I have shown in the form of a disk. Theseparts are all so positioned and adjusted that when the eyes of the dollare open the plate 19 is in contact with the side of-the bottom of theU-bar 11, whereby, if the collar 18 is checked against the slidingmovement along the rod 17, rotation of said U-bar in its sockets will bechecked and the doll may be tipped to recumbent position with the eyesremaining open.

Also slidably mounted on the rod 17, between the collar 18 and theplates 15 and 16, end of a bent or curved lever 20, at the free end ofwhich is mounted a weight 21. The loop 22 of said lever is of greaterinterior diameter than the diameter of the rod 17. By turning Fig. 1 tocause the head shown therein to assume an upright position, it will beapparent that whatever may have been the position of the loop 22 on therod 17, the forces of gravity generated by the weight 21 will be sodirected by the bent or curved lever 20 to the loop 22 as to cause thelatter to slip freely down the rod 17 to the position indicated in thisfigure. If, now,.the doll is turned or tipped I 5 of. rest, saidU-bar torecumbent position, as shown in the natural position of-Fig. 1, it willbe apparent that the weight 13 will at once generate forces tendingto-rock the U-bar 11, as and for the purpose set forth. However, due tothe curvature of the lever 20 and the offcenter sus ension of the wei ht21 the loo 22 will be inclined with reference to the rod 17 andfrictionally engage the same with suiiicient force to overcome theforces transmitted from the weighty-13, which, as will be.

apparent, tend to slide the collar 18 along the rod 17 through pressureof'the U-bar against the plate 19. Therefore, if the doll after havingbeen turned'to recumbent po-r siti'on/is permitted to remainin acondition will be checked against rotation and the eyes will not close.

' It will be seen that the lever 20 constitutes the rod of a pendulum.'ofwhichthe weight 21 is the bob, and is adapted to oscillate lat-There are other .of a child, the lever 20 will be oscillated after themanner of a pendulum by the weight 21. The consequent lateraloscillation of the loop 22 on the rod 17 intermittently relieves thefrictional forces which check sliding movement of said loop on said rodto a degree at which they are overcome by the forces transmitted fromthe weight 13, whereby, upon oscillation of the lever 20, the loop 22will be forced step-by-step along said rod 17, permitting movementtherewith of the collar 18, movement of which, in turn, permits acorresponding step-by-step rotation of the U-bar 11 and the consequentgradual closing of the eyes.

It will be seen that when the doll is returned from a recumbent to anupright position, the U-bar is free to be returned under action of theweight 13 to the position indicated in Fig. 1, wherefore the eyes willimmediately .open. Furthermore, as has been explained, when the doll isreturned to upright position, the curvature of the lever 20 whichresults in off-set suspension of the weight 21 and which so directs theforces generated by said weight as to effect the frictional engagementbetween the loop 22 and the rod 17, now so directs the forces of saidweight as to permit return of said lever and said loop to the positionsindicated in F 1 without rocking and without interruption of movement.

With the checking plate 19 of suitable size and contour, it wouldprobably ma kc little if any difference, mechanically, whether or notthe collar 18 were rotatable as well as slidable on the rod 17. However,it is doubtless preferable that said collar be held against rotation andsaid plate, therefore, against oscillation. For this purpose, I haveshown a relatively small guide-rod 23, mounted parallel to the rod 17and passing through the collar 18 which is also slidable on the same. Inthis and in other wellknown ways said collar may be held againstrotation and yet be freely slidable on the rod 17. I have also shown alug 24 which provides a stop against which the weight 13 is adapted toimpinge, thus checkin rotation of the U-bar when the eyes are in openposition.

Many modifications and minor details of my improved doll will doubtlessreadily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which itappertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit myself to thespecific construction herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a dollshead, the combination, with means for automatically turningthe eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped reara and momentarilyrelease wardly from an upright to a substantially horizontal position,to simulate the closing of the eyes, said means operating to return saideye-balls to and yieldingly retain the same in their initial positionswhen said head is returned to upright position, of means for checkingoperations of said turning means, and means operated by the lateralrocking of said head while in substantially horizontal position tointermittently said checking means.

2. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly from anupright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate the closingof the eyes, said means operating to return said eye-balls to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturned to upright position, of means frictionally operable to checkoperation of said turning means when said head is at rest in saidsubstantially horizontal position, and means operated by the lateralrocking of said head in such position to intermittently relieve atmomentary intervals the frictional resistance of said checking means.

3. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly from anupright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate closing ofthe eyes, said means operating to return said eye-balls to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturned to upright position, of a movable and yieldingly held stop forchecking operation of said turning means, and means operated bythelateral rocking of said head while in said substantially horizontalposition to intermittently and momentarily release said stop.

4. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly from anupright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate closing ofthe eyes, said means operating to return said eye-balls to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturned to upright position, of a movable and frictionally held stopfor checking operation of said turning means, and means operated by thelateral rocking of said head while in said substantially horizontalposition to intermittently relieve at momentary intervals the frictionalresistance of movement of said stop.

5. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly from anupright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate closing ofthe eyes, said. means operating to return said eyeballs to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturned to upright position, of a guiderod, a stop slidably mounted onsaid rod and in initial position checking operation of said turningmeans, means yieldingly checking said stop against sliding movement onsaid rod, and means operated by the lateral rocking of said head Whilein substantially horizontal position to intermittently and momentarilyrelease said stop-checking means.

6. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eyeballs thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly from anupright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate the closingof the eyes, said means operating to return said eye-balls to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturned to upright position, of a guide-rod, a stop slidably mounted onsaid rod and in initial position checking operation of said turningmeans, means also slidable on said rod for frictionally checking saidstop against sliding movement, and means operated by the lateral rockingof said head while in substantially horizontal position tointermittently relieve at momentary intervals the frictional resistanceof said stop-checking means.

7. In a dolls head, the combination, with means for automaticallyturning the eye-V balls thereof when said head is tipped rearwardly froman upright to a substantially horizontal position, to simulate closingof the eyes, said means operating to return said eye-balls to andyieldingly retain the same in their initial positions when said head isreturnedto upright position, of a guide-rod, a stop slidably mounted onsaid rod and in initial position checking operation of said turningmeans, a lever loosely pivoted on said rod whereby said lever has bothsliding and oscillatory movements thereon, and a weight at the free endof said lever, the latter being bent for offcenter suspension of saidweight.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in thepresence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. PARSONS.

Witnesses AARON Gmssnnc, HOWARD CAMPBELL.

